WorksheetsWriting Summaries
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 15mins
Summaries are usually....
short
long
Summaries and central ideas go hand-in-hand.
true
false
The central idea is
A one sentence statement that sums up what the author wants us to learn from the text.
stated clearly and in detail
using additional details to say more about an idea.
to briefly retell in your own words.
Should you include this sentence in an objective summary? This is one of the best books I have ever read!
Yes
No
Objective summaries should be unbiased. What does unbiased mean?
Includes your personal experiences.
Does not include your own personal experiences, opinions, or prior knowledge.
Does not include evidence from the text.
Your own judgement and opinion of the text.
Does the meaning of the text change when you write an objective summary?
No, it's shorter but has the same meaning.
Yes, of course the meaning changes because someone else is writing it.
It depends on the material and who originally wrote it.
Is the following an example of a subjective or objective summary:
The Tyrannosaurus Rex was a prehistoric carnivorous dinosaur. It walked on two legs, and had a massive skull balanced by a long, heavy tail
Subjective
Objective
What is the BEST summary of this passage? Tomorrow is Jill's birthday. She is excited because she gets to pick where she will eat dinner. Will it be Mexican food at the Big Enchilada House? Or will it be fried chicken at the Chicken Shack, or a big cheeseburger at Al's Hamburger Palace. She just couldn't decide. Then there was always the Pizza Shop with that great pepperoni pizza. How would she ever decide? Maybe she would just flip a coin.
Jill has many restaurants to choose from for her birthday.
Jill loves Mexican food.
The Pizza Shop has the best pizza in town.
Jill will choose a place by flipping a coin.
Which of the following is the better objective summary of The Lion King?
This Disney animated feature follows the adventures of the young lion Simba, the heir of his father, Mufasa. Simba's wicked uncle, Scar, plots to usurp Mufasa's throne by luring father and son into a stampede of wildebeests. But Simba escapes, and only Mufasa is killed. Simba returns as an adult to take back his homeland from Scar with the help of his friends Timon and Pumbaa.
In a tear jerker story, a young lion, Simba, becomes the victim of his cruel Uncle Scar’s plot to take the throne. After finding himself with the help of his friends Timon and Pumbaa, Simba heroically returns to Pride Rock where he overpowers Scar. While the film is charming and inspiring, I think the likelihood of a vegetarian lion beating his dominant uncle in a fight is hard to swallow.
How long should the average objective summary be?
1-3 sentences
3-6 sentences
6-9 sentences
As long or short as you want it
How should the details be tracked?
All details from the text should be included.
Details from the beginning only.
Significant details should be tracked from the beginning, middle and end.
Details from the end only.
How detailed should an objective summary be?
You should never put details--no names, spoilers, or anything.
You should put in a lot of details so the reader can imagine the whole text in their head.
You should only put in the major details so it's not too long.
It's just like adding garlic to a recipe--measure the details with your heart.
Should an objective summary include the ending of the text?
No--you shouldn't spoil the text for anyone who hasn't read it.
No--that would be too much detail.
Yes--you're supposed to summarize the entire text, whether or not the reader has read it before.
Yes--the only purpose of the objective summary is to spoil the ending for people who don't care about that kind of thing.
What is the primary purpose of writing a summary?
A) To provide a detailed analysis of the text
B) To briefly retell the main points in your own words
C) To include personal opinions and interpretations
D) To rewrite the text in a different style
Which of the following should NOT be included in an objective summary?
A) Key events from the text
B) Personal opinions about the text
C) The main idea of the text
D) Important characters in the text
